The Trump administration has released its proposal for the FY2018 federal budget. As expected, the proposal calls for the elimination of the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Institute for Museum and Library Services, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, among other agencies.

This marks the beginning of the budget process. As you know, our Constitution empowers Congress, not the president, to appropriate funds for the operation of the government. The appropriations process will play out over the coming weeks and months.

As the process gets underway, MCSS is asking for your help. This is a key time for everyone who supports the humanities in the state of Maine to make their voices heard.

You can help by speaking up!

Our partners at Maine Humanities Council have valuable information and advice on reaching reach out to your representatives in Congress:

My name is Joe Schmidt and I am the new Social Studies Specialist and Western Maine Regional Representative for the Maine Department of Education. I am a graduate of University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh with a Bachelor’s degree in secondary social studies and a Master’s degree in Education from Viterbo University. My career started with nine years of high school social studies teaching experience before I left the classroom to become the K-12 Social Studies Teacher Leader in Curriculum & Instruction for the Madison Metropolitan School District in Madison, Wisconsin.

During my professional career, I have served at the national level on the iCivics National Educator Network, the Teaching Tolerance National Advisory Board, and as chairperson of the National Council for Social Studies select subcommittee for Social Education. I have also served at the state level as the Vice-President and Business Manager for the Wisconsin Council for Social Studies and the Social Studies Advisory Council for the Wisconsin Department of Instruction. Also, I have been selected for fellowships at the Center for the Study of the American Constitution and for the European Union Center for Excellence.

I am excited to support social studies teachers, programs, and organizations throughout Maine and work to provide professional development and other learning opportunities around the state.

Welcome aboard, Joe!

From your friends and colleagues at the Maine Council for Social Studies

SOCIAL STUDIES IN THE CLASSROOM SPOTLIGHT

SidexSide - Bringing History and the Arts Together

by Gretchen Berg

Local arts organization Side x Side partners with Maine Historical Society to infuse the arts into the social studies curricula in five Portland elementary schools (Reiche, Ocean Avenue, Hall, Riverton and East End). One such Side x Side and MHS partnership project is happening this winter at Ocean Avenue Elementary School where third graders are studying the history of Portland; they work with MHS educators and tour the Wadsworth-Longfellow House and galleries. George Neptune a Passamaquoddy master basket maker, Abbe Museum educator and storyteller visited Ocean Avenue to launch student thinking about the history and current realities of Wabanaki people in Maine. Throughout their study students keep project journals that combine drawing and notes.

Next Side x Side teaching artists Laurie Downey and Gretchen Berg work with teachers and students to brainstorm and create both a permanent in-school mural and a lively theater performance about the history of Portland. The mural and performance are then presented to the community in a public celebration. In November 2016, Laurie Downey and Gretchen Berg shared this unique teaching and learning process at the Maine Council for the Social Studies annual conference in a workshop entitled Forging Strong Community Connections: Experience-based Learning & Integrated Arts.

Have a story you want to share for our SOCIAL STUDIES IN MAINE or SOCIAL STUDIES IN THE CLASSROOM spotlights? Submit it to the Maine Council for Social Studies at mainesocialstudies@gmail.com.

Opportunities for Teachers and Students

National History Day (April 8), judges needed, register by March 17 - The National History Day Maine State Contest is quickly approaching! April 8th is the contest date and it will take place at the University of Maine. Response from teachers, students, and parents has been overwhelming and this year we are anticipating our largest group of student participants yet! Volunteer judges are needed! Complimentary breakfast and lunch is provided. Judge registration is currently open at: https://goo.gl/forms/wUt3GUMGVr1wBWe02 . The registration window will close on March 17th.

Maine Maritime Museum, student-designed exhibit Commerce, Culture, Community:The Sewall Family Shipbuilders, March 31st through April 30th - This exhibit in the Marjorie W. Kramer Gallery is the museum’s “Sense of Place” education program capstone project designed by all 7th graders from Regional School Unit One. Over the course of six months students examined material culture from the museum’s collection and selected objects, documents, and photographs to tell the story of how the Sewall family shipbuilders shaped their community. Exhibit is included with museum admission.

Maine Geographic Alliance and Esri’s ArcGIS Online U.S. School Competition, April 7th deadline - Showcase your student’s ArcGIS Online maps! Students have an opportunity to win prizes and a trip to the 2017 Esri Education Conference in San Diego, CA, by submitting a map to Esri’s ArcGIS Online U.S. School Competition.

Across the U.S., high school and middle school students are invited to submit a map about their community or state using ArcGIS Online. Maine students should choose a Maine-centered topic. All projects that focus on the local community and/or the State of Maine are welcome. Students will use ArcGIS Online to study local history, environment, land-use, culture, political and social issues. The ArcGIS Online US School Competition 2017 is open to high school (gr.9-12) and middle school (gr.4-8) students in the U.S who can analyze, interpret, and present data via an ArcGIS Online presentation, web app, or story map. The Maine Geographic Alliance is participating! Your school can submit up to 5 student projects to the Maine Geographic Alliance ArcGIS Online Mapping Competition. Judges for the Maine Geographic Alliance will select 10 winners (5 at middle school level and 5 at the high school level), each will be awarded $100 and their work will be submitted to the national Esri competition. At the national competition, one high school project and one middle school project will earn a trip to the 2017 Esri Education Conference in San Diego, CA.

Registration is now open; closes April 7th Contact Margaret Chernosky atmshaw1924@gmail.com to register. Please type “Esri Student Competition” in the subject line; Margaret will get right back to you and will help you get started.

Each year, the HHRC honors students and community members who are doing outstanding work in the fields of Holocaust and Human Rights education. Scholarships are available for k-12th grade students as well as educators. Additionally, the Gerda Haas Award for Excellence in Human Rights Education and Leadership will be awarded to an individual or organization who has demonstrated excellence and initiative in human rights education and leadership. The winners will be honored on Sunday, June 11th at the Woodlands Club in Falmouth. Applications and nomination forms are available through the HHRC’s website. Nominations and applications must be in by April 7, 2016. For more information visit hhrcmaine.org.

Holocaust and Human Rights Center, exhibition, Pay Attention! It’s Independence Day!, through April 14th - The Whitefield 4th of July Parade is an annual celebration of free speech, featuring provocative and timely statements from a group of artists and activists in the community. The exhibit, Pay Attention! It’s Independence Day showcases photos and original artwork from the last decade and a half of unique parade themes. This exhibit is in partnership with Natasha Mayers, the USM Galleries, and Artists Rapid Response Team [ARRT]. For more information visit hhrcmaine.org, email infohhrc@maine.edu or call 207-621-3530.

Holocaust and Human Rights Center, exhibition, Heroism inUnjust Times: Rescuers During the Holocaust, April 24th – August 11th - Despite the fatal consequences, thousands of individuals risked their lives to help those targeted by the Nazis in the time leading up to and through the Holocaust. Heroism in Unjust Times: Rescuers During the Holocaust, celebrates and honors those righteous individuals. The exhibit will also share stories of individuals and their descendants who were saved by these rescuers and settled in Maine and nearby. Heroism in Unjust Times is presented in partnership with the Sousa Mendes Foundation, Yad Vashem, the Berkshire Holocaust Museum, Darrell English, Julie Lanoie, Mona Pearl Treyball, and Jean-Claude van Itallie. The exhibit is made possible through the support Kennebec Savings Bank. For more information visit hhrcmaine.org, email infohhrc@maine.edu or call 207-621-3530.

Illustrated Mapmaking Contest, Osher Map Library, May 1 deadline - The Osher Map Library invites all Maine 5th Graders to enter the 2017 Illustrated Mapmaking Contest by May 1st for a chance to win $1,000 ($500 for you, $500 for your class)! More information available at www.oshermaps.org/contest.

Maine Curriculum Leaders' Association, May 15 & 16 - The Maine Curriculum Leaders' Association is offering Providing Opportunity to Learn at the Auburn Hilton Garden Inn. Participants register for one of two strands for both days. Strand 1 is Planning Proficiency-based Instruction and Strand 2 is Personalized/Independent Learning. Registration deadline is May 1. Complete information and links are at http://mainecla.org.

University of Maine, Summer 2017 Teachers Institute, Montréal and Ottawa, June 25-30 - 2017 marks the 375th anniversary of the founding of Montreal, and the 150th anniversary of Canada's Confederation. K-12 teachers, curriculum coordinators and administrators with teaching background in social studies, geography, history and/or French are welcome to apply to the Summer Institute for K-12 Professionals held this summer in Montréal and Ottawa, Canada, from June 25th-30th. “Québec and the Evolution of Canada” is a unique professional development opportunity providing participants with foundations in history and geography plus contemporary cultural insights through first-hand experience. The content is taught by academic specialists and is designed to meet Common Core, C3, and state standards. Rolling registration is open until May 1:

www.umaine.edu/teachingcanada/2017-summer-teachers-institute/

Native American Festival and Basketmakers Market, Saturday, July 8, 10 am - 4 pm, College of the Atlantic - This popular festival, sponsored by the Maine Indian Basket Makers Alliance and the Abbe Museum, is hosted on the campus of College of the Atlantic and offers visitors, collectors, and gallery owners the opportunity to buy directly from the artists, as quality and authenticity is the hallmark for this Indian Market. For many visitors, this is a rare opportunity to meet the artists and learn about contemporary Indian arts and cultures from Maine and the Maritimes.

Free and open to the public. Contact the Abbe Museum for more details at 207-288-3519 or info@abbemuseum.org.

Cultural Understanding in China Study Abroad Program, University of Southern Maine Travel Program, July 20 - August 2 - Travel to Beijing, Dalian, and Hohhot, China in this six credit EDU 479/579 course. Students will gain an invaluable perspective as they are immersed into Chinese culture through exploration, volunteer opportunities, and culturally comparative instruction. With a focus on refugee and immigrant populations, students will develop understanding, empathy, and insight into the best ways to support and empower these communities.

Program Fee: $2,750 plus airfare. Students who are part of the Confucius Institute at USM will have reduced travel costs. Financial aid may be used to pay for the credits and travel of this course.

The ‘Program Fee’ includes lodging, in-country transport, cultural activities, and most meals. Tuition and international airfare is an additional expense.

Holocaust and Human Rights Center, Teacher Training and Student Seminars, July and August Save the date for the HHRC’s upcoming annual Summer Seminars for high school students, K-12 Educators, Librarians and Lifelong Learners. This year, we will also be offering a seminar for 8th – 12th grade students. Seminars are $100, and include lunch, snacks, and contact hours. For Educators:

Maine Humanities Council programming, ongoing - Did you know the Maine Humanities Council has lots of programming around the entire state of Maine? Check out all the offerings online! https://mainehumanities.org/

Giant Traveling Map of Maine, Maine Geographic Alliance, ongoing - The National Geographic Education Foundation has given each member of the Alliance network, two ‘giant’ maps. The Maine map is 17 ft by 20 ft and includes major cities, Native lands, and topographic features such as rivers, lakes and elevation. he trunk that houses the map also includes teacher materials for grades 2-5. There are supporting materials including an activity book with standards’ based lessons, lanyards, plastic cups and cones, plastic chains, Maine Ag in the classroom resources, state and national flags, the Maine classroom Atlas and more. Schools may use the map and materials at no cost. This is a floor map and students may walk on it with socks on. No shoes or writing materials are to be used on the map.

If you are interested in scheduling one of the maps for your school, please contact Susan Lahti at susan_lahti@beeline-online.net. Put GTMMaine in the subject line.

Margaret Chase Smith Library Exhibit, Encore: Walking the Red Carpet with Margaret, ongoing A screenplay about Senator Margaret Chase Smith’s life is currently in the works. In conjunction, Museum Assistant John Taylor has created our most recent exhibit, “Encore: Walking the Red Carpet with Margaret.” The new installation focuses on the Senator’s many connections to Tinseltown. Come see Margaret hobnob with Hollywood royalty like Jimmy Stewart, Esther Williams, Bob Hope, Marlene Dietrich, and Ronald Reagan. Highlights include photographs of Smith on the set of the 1944 film “Kismet,” letters from a multitude of celebrities, audio and video clips of her on television, and see how she influenced the current movie rating system. You can finish off your experience by playing the Library’s version of the “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” game. The exhibit is currently open and will remain up through the end of the year.

Holocaust and Human Rights Center, Free Educational Outreach, ongoing - The HHRC provides educational outreach to schools and community groups throughout Maine free of charge. These programs focus on issues relating to the Holocaust and human rights. Our outreach programs are available to bring to your school, or you’re welcome to schedule a visit to the Michael Klahr Center. For more information visit hhrcmaine.org, email infohhrc@maine.edu or call 207-621-3530.

You can count on your friends at MCSS to keep you informed on all the vital Social Studies information, news, and of course FUN to make this

the best yearever!!!

A message from the MCSS Board President

Dear Social Studies Educator,

At this time of year, I feel caught between trying to enjoy each and every last moment of summer with family and friends, and constantly thinking of the upcoming school year. I am reminded that one of the greatest things about being a teacher is that each year, no matter how challenging, is followed by the chance for a fresh start, and the opportunity to incorporate fresh ideas.

At MCSS, we have also had a busy summer. In June, we co-sponsored a day of outstanding professional development at Maranacook High School featuring teacher leaders from across the state. We are actively planning our annual conference to be held in November in Augusta (see below). Finally, we have added three new executive board members; Geoffrey Wingard from Bangor High School, Erin Towns from Edward Little High School, and Donna Olsen from Lewiston High School.

On a personal level, I was thrilled to represent our MCSS members at the NCSS Summer Leadership Institute in Washington, DC. This conference is a great opportunity to be educated about important legislation that directly impacts social studies nationally, as well as in our local districts. After an intense day of preparation for lobbying, we headed to Capitol Hill to meet with our members of congress.

One of the issues I discussed with our legislators was funding for the Every Student Succeeds Act, or ESSA. The exact amounts of funding as of this writing are yet to be determined. As with many bills, there are both strengths and challenges with the legislation. The good news is that ESSA provides for funding of the humanities, including social studies. The challenge is that each state or local district will need to determine how best to spend those allocated funds. Additionally, the money is not specifically earmarked for social studies. Rather there are pools of money that can be used in a variety of ways (technology, arts, social studies, etc.)

At MCSS we have updated our committee structure to include a focus on advocacy. We are reaching out to the Maine DOE and legislature to seek more guidance on ESSA, and we are also eagerly awaiting the filling of the recently vacated DOE Social Studies Liaison position. We will continue to monitor these issues and keep you informed. In the meantime, we have posted a copy of a Dear Colleague letter from the US DOE. We encourage you to ask your local curriculum coordinators if they received a copy of the letter, and how they plan to include social studies in their ESSA funding structure.

We look forward to being a part of your greatest year ever teaching social studies.

Sincerely,

Kate Sheldon, President, Maine Council for the Social Studies

BE PREPARED AND SAVE THE DATE!

MCSS Annual Conference

Thursday, November 10, Augusta, ME

Want to arm yourself for a successful year with the best tools available? Eager to claim your throne as a ruler of all things Social Studies?

This year's conference is scheduled for November 10 at the Augusta Civics Center. This year's theme is Civic Engagement in a Globally Connected World. Stay tuned and check out our website for more details and information on how you can register!

Maine Council for the Social Studies, in partnership with Maine DOE, hosted the first ever Social Studies Summer Symposium on June 29 at Maranacook High School. There were 120 participants from all regions of the state. You can find a link to the workshop materials from the Social Studies Teacher-Leaders in the resource folder on our webpage: http://www.mainecouncilsocialstudies.org/2016-summer-conference/

Due to the positive feedback, MCSS hopes to be able to provide another summer professional development opportunity in 2017. We will keep you posted as plans come together!

SOCIAL STUDIES IN THE CLASSROOM SPOTLIGHT

GIS in the Classroom

by Erin Towns

One of the hardest things about teaching social studies is the lack of geography knowledge and lack of technological literacy students display in the classroom. I made it my mission a few years ago to change this. As a 1:1 state, our tech savvy students of the 21st century have tools at their fingertips that will enable them to investigate the world and take significant action steps to solve problems they see in their communities using practical application of knowledge. My students were introduced to using GIS (Geographic Information Systems) in the classroom and were asked to identify an issue in their community that they wanted to address. Students chose safety and started the project by mapping where they live using ArcGIS Online. They added an Auburn Crime Data Layer that the city's GIS Coordinator created for them. They compared where they lived in Auburn with crime statistics helping them to build basic spatial relationship skills. Students then identified specific areas where they did not feel safe and hazard areas were mapped. Students analyzed the map with crime layers added, made observations, and evaluated sources of the data. Students were asked to offer solutions and the completed map was sent to the Auburn Maine Police Chief. These global studies sophomores were invited to present their findings in front of the Auburn Public Safety Committee at City Hall in February. As a result of the work they did, they were told that a new light warning passengers of students in a dangerous crosswalk would be added, helping students to feel safe in one of the most reported locations for hazards.

As a result of this project, Maine GIS Education Partners was created by Maine teachers for Maine teachers interested in using geospatial technology in the classroom. Check us out and join us! The website has free resources and announcements that will help teachers learn.

Have a story you want to share for our SOCIAL STUDIES IN MAINE or SOCIAL STUDIES IN THE CLASSROOM spotlights? Submit it to the Maine Council for Social Studies at mainesocialstudies@gmail.com.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS

Designing C3 Inquiries with Library of Congress Political Cartoons, Waynesburg University, Sept. 29 - Nov. 3 - Join us for a FREE interactive online experience and a chance to earn 24 CEU hours! This opportunity for middle and secondary teachers and librarians combines the Library of Congress political cartoons and the C3 Inquiry Design Model to create ready-to-go visually-based inquiries leading to civic action. Model inquiries from the Herblock collection Herblock Cartoon Exhibit: Pointing their Pens and from historic Presidential Election Resource Guides 1789-1920 will be presented. Learn more and register here.

MCSS Annual Conference, November 1 - The Maine Council for the Social Studies annual conference will be held on November 10th, 2016 at the Augusta Civic Center. This year's theme, Global Studies, was the top request from the attendees at the 2015 conference, and civic engagement will be on everyone's minds in the aftermath of the elections - don't miss the opportunity to learn from and network with your colleagues across the state. This year's keynote speaker is Kenneth C. Davis, New York Times bestselling author of America's Hidden History and Don't Know Much About History.

National History Day, April 18, 2017 - Maine National History Day (NHD) is an annual event for teachers and students in grades 6-12 that promotes critical thinking skills through project-based learning. The next state contest will be hosted at the University of Maine campus is Orono on Saturday, April 8, 2017. Be on the lookout for NHD teacher workshops this fall!

Free Classroom Training in Maine Memory Network, available year-round - Maine Memory Network (MMN) is a FREE statewide digital museum developed by Maine Historical Society (MHS) to provide unprecedented access to primary source materials held by historical societies, museums, and libraries throughout Maine. There are currently more than 45,000 items in the Network's constantly growing online database contributed by over 270 organizations around Maine. MHS offers FREE classroom training in use of MMN for students and teachers; an MHS educator travels to your school to introduce teachers and/or students to Maine Memory Network, and sessions include a hands-on demonstration of the website and discussion of opportunities for your students to explore the history of your community. To learn more or to sign up for free classroom training, email education@mainehistory.org.

Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, D.C.

Get an early look at the first confirmed speakers for the 2016 NCSS Annual Conference. Representative John Lewis, attorney and author Bryan Stevenson, Little Rock Nine veteran Terrence Roberts, and columnists Ruth Marcus and Michael Gerson headline the notable list of conference speakers. Click here to see the full list, and check back for updates as more names are added. Read more

Spring is in the air and summer will be here before we know it! Now is the perfect time to look back on the academic year and reflect on what you've learned and everything you've accomplished. Did you have a professional experience or learn a new skill that you'd like to share with your fellow Social Studies teachers? How about sharing some of your stellar successes? Consider becoming a presenter at the Maine Council for the Socials Studies Annual Conference in 2016!

This year’s conference, Civic Engagement in a Globally Connected World, will be held on November 10th, 2016 at the Augusta Civic Center. We are looking for presenters in the following grade span areas: K-4, 5-8, and 9-12. We value workshop sessions that are interactive, hands on, and answer the question, “How do I teach this content?” “How is this presentation helpful to schools working on proficiency standards?”

If you are interested in sharing your knowledge, tools, and skills with Maine teachers, please complete the Google form at this link: http://goo.gl/forms/Kt4zOupSzz

Submission deadline is June 3, 2016. Presenters will be notified by mid- July.

SOCIAL STUDIES IN MAINE SPOTLIGHT

Maine National History Day

by John Taylor

The National History Day in Maine program continues to grow. This year’s state contest, held on April 9, was the largest since the University of Maine began hosting in 2014. Over 300 students registered for the event which showcased nearly 200 student research based projects connected to the annual theme—Exploration, Encounter, Exchange in History. As State Coordinator, I am excited about the level of involvement and the quality of work coming from Maine students. Next year, is looking bright as plans are being made to possibly create regional contests which will take place before the state event on April 8, 2017.

Before NHD in Maine turns all focus to 2017, we must look to the rest of this year. A large delegation of contest winners have committed to going to the national contest to showcase their state winning performances, papers, exhibits, documentaries, and websites. It will take place at the University of Maryland, June 12-16. The past two years have been good for our state. In 2013, we had a first place winner from Noble High School named Noah Binette in the Senior Individual Exhibit category. Last year, Madison Albert from Greely Middle School received the Women’s History Award for her Junior Individual Exhibit. We are all excited to see if this streak continues into a third year. Plans for are also being made for possible teacher workshops in Portland and Bar Harbor this fall.

Please follow NHD in Maine on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or contact John Taylor (john.m.taylor@maine.edu) to learn more about the program or upcoming events.

John Taylor is the Museum Assistant & National History Day State Coordinator at Margaret Chase Smith Library in Skowhegan, Maine.

Maine National History Day 2016 First Place State Winners:

Bruce M. Whittier Middle School

Colin Marquis Boutin-Jr. Individual Documentary

Sam Boles & Josh Power-Jr. Group Exhibit

Center Drive School

Devon Hunter & Sara Hagstrom-Jr. Group Documentary

Greely Middle School

Madison Albert-Jr. Individual Exhibit

Hartford Sumner Elementary School

Hadley Blodgett-Jr. Individual Performance

Holbrook Middle School

Ceci Doering & Damian Sheffer-Jr. Group Website

James F. Doughty School

Alec Jansujwicz-Jr. Paper

Camden Cole-Jr. Individual Website

Lawrence High School

Kelsey Dubay & Jessica Keay-Sr. Group Exhibit

Morse High School

Zachary Lay & Nathaniel Lay-Sr. Group Documentary

Noble High School

Olivia Hersom-Sr. Individual Exhibit

Travis Marshall-Sr. Individual Performance

Hali Bowden-Sr. Paper

Jarrod Rudis, Jaxson Monroe & Ray Horne-Sr. Group Website

Kylan Bowden-Sr. Individual Website

Samuel L. Wagner Middle School

Emma Campbell, Morgan Gray & Lydia Tracy-Jr. Group Performance

SOCIAL STUDIES CLASSROOM SPOTLIGHT

Remembering World War One in Maine

by Shane Gower

“So how is a stone fence a monument?” This was a question posed by one of the thoughtful 11th grade students in my US History class at Maranacook Community High School in Readfield. Students were using the Maine Memory Network website to locate images related to World War One and Maine during that time period. One of the images we found was of a World War Memorial located in Fairfield. The image was taken in 1923. After a few moments of contemplation, the description shed a bit more light on the monument. “The World War I Monument was dedicated on May 30, 1925. It featured bronze tablets with inscribed names and an overhead marble plate bearing 13 bronze stars, one for each soldier from Good Will that was killed in the war. During the dedication ceremony water from the Marne River in France was cast upon the monument. G. W. Hinckley’s war-time letters from Good Will Boys, including those from his daughter Faith and son Ed Ben, were enclosed in a copper box and placed in a crypt behind the south tablet.” After we read this, another student asked, “Does this mean there is a box in the ground under the monument with war time letters in it? Will anyone ever read them? Why would they do this?” The questions flowed from there and we discussed the possibilities. All of this helped us to address our objective- How Was Our Community Effected by the First World War and how can we remember that?

Through the online resources of the Maine Historical Society, and the help of the Staff at the Oise-Aisne American Cemetery in Seringes-et-Nesles, France, my students learned about the sacrifice made by a young man who grew up in one of the towns in our school district. Benjamin Bradford was born and raised in Wayne, ME. He played semi-professional baseball in Winthrop, attended Kents Hill School and received a degree from Bowdoin College. Bradford enlisted in the Army in 1917 and was sent to France in June of 1918. He was killed when his plane tragically crashed at the Aviation Training Facility in Tours on August 6, 1918. What was our community like when Bradford left in 1917? How has our community changed as result of the war? How can we remember the effect of the war on our community? Why is it important to remember the sacrifice of Benjamin Bradford and others?

These are all questions my students set out to resolve through research and presentation. Kathleen Neumann, Manager of Education and Interpretive Programs at the Maine Historical Society, visited my class to introduce the Maine Memory Network and how it can be used. Students quickly found interesting artifacts on the website. They found the ability to create an account and store images an engaging and helpful research tool. We then contacted Geoff Fournier of the American Battle Monuments Commission and Superintendent of the Oise-Aisne American Cemetery where Benjamin Bradford is buried. He provided us with a photo of Bradford’s grave and the information they had about Bradford. Students used these resources and a few others to create a presentation designed to answer our questions. Each student was asked to make a claim about the effect of the war on our community, and to design a memorial or monument that would help us remember the effect of the war.

So how can a stone fence be a monument? What should monuments be made out of? What form should they take and what message should they give? These are all questions my students wrestled with and designed monuments that reflected their ideas on these questions. While I’m not sure any of them understood why a Stone Wall was erected in Fairfield to remember the sacrifice of the Boys who attended Good Will Hinckley, they all came away with an appreciation for the thought process behind monument design.

There are nine ABMC maintained American Cemeteries in Europe dedicated to soldiers killed in World War One. These cemeteries contain the remains of many Maine soldiers who grew up in our communities from all over the state. Unfortunately, the cemeteries see fewer visitors each year and are looking for opportunities to see those who are interred in those cemeteries remembered by others. There is a great opportunity for classrooms to connect with any of these cemeteries. Combined with the outstanding Maine Memory Network website, there are plenty of opportunities for students to learn about the way World War One changed our communities!

Shane Gower teaches Social Studies at Maranacook High School in Readfield, Maine.

Have a story you want to share for our SOCIAL STUDIES IN MAINE or SOCIAL STUDIES CLASSROOM spotlights? Submit it to the Maine Council for Social Studies at mainesocialstudies@gmail.com.

MCSS is co-sponsoring a Social Studies Summer Symposium!

June 29, 2016, Marancook High School, Readfield, ME

Space is limited; register by June 10, 2016

The Maine Department of Education, in partnership with the Maine Council for the Social Studies, will hold the inaugural Social Studies Summer Symposium on June 29 at Maranacook High School in Readfield, from 8:00-4:00. The day will feature a variety of workshop sessions crafted and delivered by Social Studies Teacher-Leaders from across the state. The Summer Symposium will include sessions for elementary, middle and high school teachers and contact hours will be awarded.

The $25.00 registration fee includes lunch and seven contact hours will be awarded. Registration and online payment must be made in advance.

Grant Opportunity, deadline May 8: The Gannett House Project announces a travel grant opportunity for teachers interested in participating in the 2016 Annenberg–Newseum Summer Teacher Institute in Washington, D.C. The Institute, Primarily Digital, is a valuable professional development opportunity for teachers who want to help students explore the power of free speech in print and across the digital landscape.

June 29, 2016, Readfield, ME, Social Studies Summer Symposium: Space is limited; register by June 10. The Maine Department of Education, in partnership with the Maine Council for the Social Studies, will hold the inaugural Social Studies Summer Symposium on June 29 at Maranacook High School in Readfield, from 8:00-4:00. The $25.00 registration fee includes lunch and seven contact hours will be awarded. Registration and online payment must be made in advance.

First Light Workshops

hosted by Upstander Project and Maine Historical Society

Monday, April 18, 1-4:30pm at Maine Historical Society, PortlandTuesday, April 19, 9am-12:30pm at the William S. Cohen School, Bangor

Middle and high school teachers are invited to join the Upstander Project and Maine Historical Society for a workshop on the Wabanaki in Maine Monday, April 18, 1:00 - 4;30pm at Maine Historical Society in Portland or Tuesday, April 19th, 9:00am – 12:30pm at the William S. Cohen School in Bangor.

We will watch the 13-minute documentary, First Light, and test its companion online learning resources to deepen our understanding of the historical context of the Maine Wabanaki State Child Welfare Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The commission released its final report in June 2015 and found that from 2002-2013 Wabanaki children were five times more likely to enter foster care than non-Native children. The commission was dedicated to uncovering and acknowledging the truth about what happened to Wabanaki children and families involved with the Maine child welfare system, promote healing, and contribute to change in child welfare practices.

Participants will get primary and secondary source documents, learn new interactive techniques, talk with the filmmaker, discover how to teach this as a contemporary story, participate in Listening Circles and textual analysis activities, and will receive a free copy of First Light.

Student Humanities Ambassador

The Maine Humanities Council is seeking high school students, clubs, and committees for our Student Humanities Ambassador Program, in which we give students $1,000 to create, plan, run, and evaluate a humanities-based program or event within their communities.

This program offers students the opportunity to spark humanities-based conversations about the issues and ideas they really care about. Committed, passionate, and excited students do well with this project, as well as those who would benefit from an alternative learning environment or who flourish in an environment of structured autonomy.

Past projects have included a short film and a public panel discussion, but the sky is the limit. Students need not have a final project idea when they apply, just a broad interest area (a few examples: exploring feminism, understanding fear, racial justice, youth homelessness).

National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Seminar for Teachers: The Dutch Republic and Britain

A five week NEH Summer Seminar For School Teachers--The Dutch Republic and Britain: The Making of a World Economy and Modern Society--will be offered by Gerard M. Koot, Professor of History, at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth from 26 June to July 29, 2016. NEH will provide a $3,900 stipend for expenses.

Congressional Medal of Honor Project

The Maine Department of the Secretary of State is inviting all teachers, administrators and community leaders to consider the Congressional Medal of Honor Project, which seeks to promote the recognition of Maine’s MOH recipients with a permanent memorial in their hometown.

Participants in this project study their local Congressional Medal of Honor recipient(s) and combine their resources to either add a means of recognition to an existing memorial or establish a new memorial for the recipient. Research, design, public presentations, fundraising and an enduring memorial are the key elements of this project, which can be customized for your community. The Secretary of State is the overseer of the State's documents and historical artifacts within the Maine State Archives, which offers a wide variety of resources.

National Park Trust's annual Kids to Parks Day National School Contest

National Park Trust's annual Kids to Parks Day National School Contest empowers students to plan their own educational park experience!

Open to all Title 1 schools for grades PreK through 12, this contest provides grants of up to $1,000 to cover transportation, park-related fees, stewardship supplies, or anything else students believe would enhance their experience. Our 2016 contest will be awarding 100 park grants to 100 schools nationwide.

National institute on Japan for K-8 educators

This summer Primary Source is sponsoring a national institute on Japan for K-8 educators. It will be held at Showa/Boston and will explore how Japanese have interacted over time with the natural world.

We have funding to cover fees and housing for those who live over 50 miles away.

Rethinking the Gilded Age and Progressivisms: Race, Capitalism, and Democracy, 1877 to 1920

The Chicago Metro History Education Center, University of Illinois at Chicago, and Loyola University Chicago invite K-12 teachers to apply for “Rethinking the Gilded Age and Progressivisms: Race, Capitalism, and Democracy, 1877 to 1920.” Participants in this National Endowment for the Humanities-sponsored program will spend four weeks in Chicago, a center of Progressive Era reform, engaging in vigorous discussions about this critical time period in American history and creating materials to use in their classrooms. Award-winning historian Robert Johnston (University of Illinois at Chicago) will guide the institute’s academic content, with the help of renowned experts in history, art, and architecture. Charles Tocci (Loyola University Chicago) will direct teaching application discussions, along with master teacher Michael Biondo (Maine South High School). For more information, contact Rachel Allmen, CMHEC, rallmen@chicagohistoryfair.org.

Benefits include:

Stimulating readings and discussions with scholars and peers

Time to explore and create practical applications for your classroom

A $3,300 stipend to defray travel, lodging, and study expenses

A chance to personally experience Chicago’s Gilded Age and Progressive Era history and culture

2016 APA TOPSS Charles T. Blair-Broeker Excellence in Teaching Award

This award provides an opportunity for American Psychology Association's Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (TOPSS) to recognize outstanding teachers in psychology. There will be up to three annual awards.

Winners will receive a framed certificate, engraved award, cash prize of $500, and a free TOPSS membership or renewal for the 2017 membership year. Additionally, Worth Publishers is generously donating a $500 credit to Bedford Freeman & Worth Publishers and a copy of the “High School Psychology Video Anthology DVD” to each of the winning teachers.

Students are asked to write an essay of no more than 3,000 words that addresses the topic of racial bias and that provides information concerning cognitive and social factors that contribute to the problem. Students should also address how implicit bias has informed our understanding of racial biases. In addition, each essay should use existing psychological research to examine how this problem specifically impacts the criminal justice system. Four winners will be selected for this year’s competition, each of whom will receive a $250 award.

2016 APA/Clark University Workshop for High School Teachers

The 12th annual APA/Clark workshop will be held July 20-22, 2016, at Clark University in Worcester, MA. Presenters will include Alan Feldman of Glen Rock High School, Glen Rock, New Jersey, and Virginia Welle of Chippewa Falls High School, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin; the keynote address and faculty presenters from the Clark University psychology department will be announced by the spring. There is no registration fee and room and board are provided. In addition, all participants will receive travel stipends up to $150 and limited travel scholarships are available based upon need. The workshop is limited to 25 teachers.

So that American students learn more about the world and continental history, the U.S. D.O.E.-designated Pacific Northwest National Resource Center on Canada offers the STUDY CANADA Summer Institute for K-12 Educators annually. The renowned program has provided educators with an excellent foundation for teaching about our vital political, economic, environmental and cultural relationships with Canada for almost 40 years. Teachers from every state have learned about core social studies topics related to Canada—such as geography, history, government, and economics—from university faculty and other expert program staff. Beginning in 2015, a unique two-nation agenda was developed to highlight the ties that bind the US and Canada as cultural cousins, political neighbors, environmental stewards of the continent, and as trade partners with strong ties to Pacific Rim nations. Important outcomes have always included gaining global perspectives of civic issues, receiving numerous resources for classroom use, and developing curricula that meet Common Core, C3 and state standards.

A draft agenda and detailed program guide can be viewed online. Note that the $650 registration fee includes a choice of 3 WWU undergraduate quarter credits (C/AM 410) or 40 WA State-issued clock hours, 4N hotel accommodations (the downtown Sheraton Hotel in Seattle and the Empress Hotel in Victoria), daily breakfasts, two lunches and one dinner as well as ferry transportation across the Salish Sea. Multiple $250 travel awards and one $650 tuition award are available this year.

Now is the time to register! Simply download the registration form online and mail it with full payment to Western Washington University as instructed on the form or follow the hyperlink at http://www.k12studycanada.org/scsi.html for immediate online registration. Check your award eligibility and, once registered, apply separately as instructed. Contact tina.storer@wwu.edu for a personal response to program and financial support inquiries.

Demon Times: Temperance, Immigration, and Progressivism in an American City

Come learn about America’s Demon Times! This one-week workshop, funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, will consider Temperance, immigration, and the Progressive movement in American history and culture. Teachers will experience landmarks of the temperance movement and the immigrant experience in late 19th and early 20th century America by exploring Columbus and nearby Westerville, Ohio. Westerville was the home of the Anti-Saloon League, a major temperance organization that explicitly warned against the influence of alcohol, Catholics, and immigrants. Columbus was home to a large German immigrant population, with an attendant brewing industry. This small town and nearby city are emblematic of America in the Progressive Era.

Participants will receive a $1,200 stipend to help cover the cost of travel and lodging. Workshop dates: July 10-15 or July 24-29, 2016. Application deadline: March 1, 2016. Learn more at ohiohistory.org/demontimes.

The Lincoln Assassination and its Legacy in the Nation’s Capital

Evening of Sunday, July 24 to Friday, July 29, 2016

Free, including shared hotel room and air travel, for qualifying teachers*

Join up to 25 teachers to explore the Lincoln assassination, the conspirator’s trial, primary sources detailing personal responses to the event, Reconstruction and Lincoln’s legacy where these important events took place.

Learn how Washington’s transformation during the Civil War lay the groundwork for Reconstruction in our nation’s capital

Explore the Lincoln assassination, the trial of the conspirators and their lasting implications for our military and civil justice systems

Examine how the Civil War has been remembered across time through the study of monuments and memorials

All participants are eligible to obtain 3 graduate credit hours through Trinity University for $375

Walk the halls of Cedar Hill, home of the famed abolitionist Frederick Douglass

Come away from your week in Washington familiar with: an array of virtual tours, the oratory skills to get your students on their feet performing speeches by Lincoln and Douglass; comfortable taking students on content-driven experiential learning adventures; and excited about using classroom drama to help historic characters come alive!

All Fellows are eligible to obtain 3 graduate credit hours through Trinity University for $375

NCTA at the Program for Teaching East Asia, University of Colorado Invites Applications to 2016 Summer Institutes

These summer programs, sponsored by the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia (NCTA) and the Program for Teaching East Asia at the University of Colorado are open to secondary teachers nationwide. Teachers selected for the programs will receive a travel stipend, room and board, and resource materials. Participants in “Japan’s Olympic Challenges” qualify for a Summer 2017 study program in Japan. Full details and application information are provided in the linked flyers. Application deadline for both institutes is March 18, 2016.

As it prepares to host the 2020 Olympics, Japan is focused on national renewal, even as it continues to negotiate postwar legacies that impact how Japanese people and the world see that nation. Open to secondary social studies teachers nationwide, this 5-day institute on the CU-Boulder campus will consider how the past and the future intersect as Japan prepares to showcase its accomplishments to the world. The institute will explore the impact of enduring issues on contemporary Japanese society, government, global and intra-Asian relations, and Olympic goals and aspirations.

For questions, contact lynn.parisi@colorado.edu. 2017 study in Japan: As a follow-up to this institute, participants will have the opportunity to apply for a 10-day residential seminar in Tokyo in July 2017, pending funding.

In this 4-day residential summer institute, secondary teachers will consider modern and contemporary South Korea's distinct history, geography, intra-peninsular and international relations, and transnational cultural transmissions (e.g., K-pop, film, and design). Participants will work with specialists to learn about the Korean peninsula beyond the media coverage, drawing on Korean narratives and texts to enrich their teaching about contemporary South Korea in the classroom.

These programs are made possible through the generous funding of the Freeman Foundation to NCTA, the US-Japan Foundation through TEA’s “Olympic Opportunity” project, and the Korea Foundation.

Living on the Edge of Empire: Alliance, Conflict and Captivity

Living on the Edge of Empire: Alliance, Conflict and Captivity is a National Endowment for the Humanities Landmarks of American History and Culture Workshop for K-12 teachers and librarians hosted by the Deerfield Teachers' Center of the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield, MA. The workshop will be presented the week of July 10 through July 15 and again the week of July 24 through July 29, 2016. The workshop places the Deerfield Raid of 1704 in the broader context of the history of Colonial New England.

The deadline for applications is March 1, 2016.

Go to http://edge-empire.deerfield-ma.org/ for a description of the program and instructions on how to apply. NEH Summer Scholars who are chosen for these workshops will be awarded a $1200 stipend to help defray travel and accommodation costs.

For a century from 1660 to 1760 the bucolic New England village of Deerfield was a crossroads where differing visions and ambitions of diverse Native American Nations and European colonial empires interacted peacefully and clashed violently. During a memorable three-hour span in the early 1700s, the town stood at the center of the struggle to control the continent. The 1704 Raid on Deerfield is a doorway to a fascinating and important part of American history. It was an event rooted in religious conflicts, personal and family retribution, alliance, and kinship ties. The Raid on Deerfield and the colonial world that produced it, helped to create a distinctive American identity and world view that became a backdrop for the American Revolution.

Workshop Summer Scholars will explore global issues while also considering ways in which this history can offer a compelling entry point for teaching the complexities of the early American colonial period and the many cultural groups who comprised it – Native nations, enslaved Africans, and the French and English settlers.

Framing America’s Constitution

Payson-Smith Hall, University of Southern Maine

Sat, Mar 12, 8:00 am to 12:30 pm

Dr. Chris Burkett will visit Payson-Smith Hall for a half-day presentation on the topic, “Framing America’s Constitution”. This is based on Dr. Lloyd’s interactive, dynamic online exhibit on the American Founding, designed for teachers to use in their classroom, and hosted on TAH.org. Dr. Lloyd distilled over fifty years of research and teaching knowledge this exhibit. Dr. Burkett will share content knowledge and specific strategies from this website that teachers can use to engage their students and enliven their classroom, through talks on three topics:

Author and teacher Margy Burns Knight will introduce the content of Talking Walls Discover Your World (with illustrations by Anne Sibley O'Brien) through the lens of five texts: visual, informational, compendium, paired and digital. Teachers will learn how to unpack complex text, an instructional strategy that supports and expands close reading.

A five week NEH Summer Seminar For School Teachers--The Dutch Republic and Britain: The Making of a World Economy and Modern Society--will be offered by Gerard M. Koot, Professor of History, at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth from 26 June to July 29, 2016. NEH will provide a $3,900 stipend for expenses.

This is an advanced TPS course. If you have not yet completed an introductory TPS course, you will be asked to complete TPS BASICS, 12 hours of self-paced professional development. TPS BASICS or an equivalent course must be completed by October 15, 2015. Further information provided upon registration.

This course is offered free of charge by the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Program at Waynesburg University http://tps.waynesburg.edu/.

The Chicago Metro History Education Center, University of Illinois at Chicago, and Loyola University Chicago invite K-12 teachers to apply for “Rethinking the Gilded Age and Progressivisms: Race, Capitalism, and Democracy, 1877 to 1920.” Participants in this National Endowment for the Humanities-sponsored program will spend four weeks in Chicago, a center of Progressive Era reform, engaging in vigorous discussions about this critical time period in American history and creating materials to use in their classrooms. Award-winning historian Robert Johnston (University of Illinois at Chicago) will guide the institute’s academic content, with the help of renowned experts in history, art, and architecture. Charles Tocci (Loyola University Chicago) will direct teaching application discussions, along with master teacher Michael Biondo (Maine South High School). For more information, contact Rachel Allmen, CMHEC, rallmen@chicagohistoryfair.org.

Benefits include:

Stimulating readings and discussions with scholars and peers

Time to explore and create practical applications for your classroom

A $3,300 stipend to defray travel, lodging, and study expenses

A chance to personally experience Chicago’s Gilded Age and Progressive Era history and culture

This award provides an opportunity for APA’s Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (TOPSS) to recognize outstanding teachers in psychology. There will be up to three annual awards.

Winners will receive a framed certificate, engraved award, cash prize of $500, and a free TOPSS membership or renewal for the 2017 membership year. Additionally, Worth Publishers is generously donating a $500 credit to Bedford Freeman & Worth Publishers and a copy of the “High School Psychology Video Anthology DVD” to each of the winning teachers.

Students are asked to write an essay of no more than 3,000 words that addresses the topic of racial bias and that provides information concerning cognitive and social factors that contribute to the problem. Students should also address how implicit bias has informed our understanding of racial biases. In addition, each essay should use existing psychological research to examine how this problem specifically impacts the criminal justice system. Four winners will be selected for this year’s competition, each of whom will receive a $250 award.

The 12th annual APA/Clark workshop will be held July 20-22, 2016, at Clark University in Worcester, MA. Presenters will include Alan Feldman of Glen Rock High School, Glen Rock, New Jersey, and Virginia Welle of Chippewa Falls High School, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin; the keynote address and faculty presenters from the Clark University psychology department will be announced by the spring. There is no registration fee and room and board are provided. In addition, all participants will receive travel stipends up to $150 and limited travel scholarships are available based upon need. The workshop is limited to 25 teachers.

Join the Maine Humanities Council and Maine Historical Society for a fall workshop on Thursday, October 22, 2015, at the Maine Historical Society in Portland. Led by Professor Libby Bischof from University of Southern Maine, the workshop will focus on visual literacy: how to analyze and use images as sources in and of themselves, instead of merely as illustration. Led by a History Day teaching veteran, attendees will also discuss how to incorporate these principles into their curricular activities. Register now!

Teachers should bring a laptop or tablet for reviewing the NHD website and other online resources.

Join the Maine Humanities Council, the Portland Museum of Art, the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, and the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center this fall to explore one of the most contentious issues of our time. How has public conversation about climate change evolved over time? What cultural and historical factors have shaped its trajectory? How do scientists, artists, and humanities scholars influence the way we understand and talk about climate change?

This one-day program, on Oct. 24, 2015, from 9:00 am - 3:45 pm at the Portland Museum of Art, will offer CEUs to educators. Register now!